Asthma Specialist in Chicago

Living with cough, wheezing or shortness of breath that keeps coming back? At Premier Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Care, our board-certified allergists diagnose and treat asthma in adults, adolescents and children at our Chicago Loop, Lincoln Park and Niles offices. Because most asthma is driven by allergies, we identify your personal triggers and build a treatment plan designed for long-term control, not just quick relief.

Allergic Asthma

Asthma is a respiratory condition in which the airways of the lungs (breathing passages) narrow and swell, often in response to an allergen. This disease affects people of all ages, but usually starts in childhood.

Air in the lungs travel through small airways called bronchial tubes. When the airways are clear, air moves in and out of the lungs easily. An asthma attack constricts the airways and interferes with the normal breathing process.

The common signs and symptoms of asthma include:

–  Frequent cough
–  Wheezing sound heard during breathing
–  Shortness of breath and coughing
–  Feeling of tightness in the chest
–  Pain in the chest

As people experience asthma attacks they learn to recognize specific triggers that contribute to these attacks and try to stay away from them. There are individual triggers for each person. Children exposed to certain triggers become highly sensitive which causes the lungs and airways to swell up and produce mucus. Some of the triggers include the common cold, weather changes, physical activity, and air pollutants such as smoke, dust mites, animal dander, and pollen.

Asthma can be difficult to diagnose. Your doctor will ask about the frequency of your symptoms and order some tests to rule out other conditions. A lung function test (spirometry) is done to measure the amount of air exhaled. Allergy skin testing may be helpful to identify allergens in people with asthma. In younger children the diagnosis is done based on the information provided about symptoms because lung function tests will be inaccurate before 6 years of age.

Asthma in Pregnancy

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects the air passages that transport air to and from your lungs, making it difficult to breathe. During pregnancy, your asthma may sometimes worsen, adversely affecting you and your baby. Some women find their asthma gets worse during pregnancy, most often in the later months, while others stay the same or improve. Hence, when you get pregnant, it is important to inform your doctor about your history of the condition so that you obtain appropriate treatment to control it.

It is necessary to treat asthma during pregnancy as avoiding treatment can result in high blood pressure and low oxygen supply to your baby, which can adversely affect growth, as well as cause premature birth and low birth weight. Your doctor will recommend that you continue your usual medications or will alter treatment depending on severity of your symptoms. Most asthma medications, especially inhaled medications, are considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Your allergist will review your medications with you.

During pregnancy, it is necessary to take the general precautions to prevent asthma attacks. You will be advised on how to alter your medications should you develop a respiratory infection which increases your likelihood of developing an attack. Your doctor will monitor your lung function and perform regular ultrasounds to examine your baby. Anti-allergic medications may help control symptoms but must be taken after consulting your doctor. It is important to monitor your baby’s movements and inform your doctor if you notice any reduced activity especially during an asthma attack. Avoid allergic triggers and exposure to smoking. A flu shot is safe at any time during pregnancy and is recommended for extra protection.

Follow your asthma treatment plan in order to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy. If your asthma is managed well, you will have little or no risk of complications for you and your baby.

When you present with symptoms of exercise-induced asthma, your doctor will review your symptoms and medical history. A thorough physical examination is performed ruling out other possible causes of your symptoms. You may be instructed to exercise on a treadmill or other stationary equipment to reproduce your symptoms. Your doctor may administer a bronchodilator medication to open up your air passages and instruct you to repeat the exercises. Your response to exercise as well as medication is assessed by spirometry, a lung function test that determines how effectively you breathe.

Your doctor will prescribe short-term medication to be administered before engaging in exercise as well as long-term medication to be taken on a daily basis. Exercise-induced asthma should not be a reason to avoid exercise. Sports with short bursts of activity, such as tennis or baseball, may be easier for some patients, but with the right treatment plan many people with exercise-induced asthma enjoy all types of sports, including running. Your symptoms may be minimized by warming up prior to exercise and breathing through your nose during exercise. You should avoid vigorous exercises when you have a respiratory infection.

Non-Allergic Asthma

Not all asthma is caused by allergies. Non-allergic asthma is triggered by factors such as respiratory infections, cold or dry air, exercise, stress, smoke, strong odors and air pollution. It is more common in adults, and symptoms such as cough, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath are similar to allergic asthma.

To diagnose non-allergic asthma, your allergist will review your history and symptoms, perform spirometry and may use allergy testing to rule out allergic triggers. Treatment typically includes daily controller medications, quick-relief inhalers, avoiding known triggers and treating respiratory infections early. For patients whose asthma stays uncontrolled, advanced options such as biologic injections may be considered.

Asthma Treatment

You must know as much as you can about asthma, its triggers, and how to recognize and avoid them. Avoiding the triggers and with the right medication, an asthmatic can have a perfectly normal life.

Treatment of asthma includes prevention of symptoms and treatment of progressive asthma attacks. Your allergist may also prescribe two main types of medications, long- term control medications and quick- relief medications. Long-term medications that can be taken every day help reduce airway inflammation and prevent the asthma symptoms. Quick-relief medications provide rapid relief from symptoms during an asthma attack.

Inhaled short- and long-term control medications are used by inhaling measured amounts of the medication through inhalation devices. The most common is the metered dose inhaler that uses a chemical propellant to carry the correct dose of medication out of the inhaler. Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) do not use propellants but need a stronger and faster inhalation. A nebulizer is a type of inhaler that delivers medications in a fine mist through mouthpieces or masks. By visiting an allergist you can take control of your asthma and improve your quality of life.

Asthma Care With a Chicago Allergist

Our allergists go beyond inhalers to find and treat the causes of your asthma. Depending on your needs, your care may include:

• Spirometry to diagnose asthma and track how well your treatment is working
• Allergy testing to identify the triggers behind your symptoms
• Allergy shots to reduce your sensitivity to allergens that trigger asthma
• Biologic injections for moderate to severe asthma that stays uncontrolled

Asthma FAQs

Visit a Chicago Allergist Near You

Premier Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Care sees adults, adolescents and children at three Chicago-area offices:

• Chicago Loop office – downtown Chicago, (312) 796-2241
• Lincoln Park office – free parking, (773) 665-4016
• Niles office – Oak Mill Plaza, free parking, (847) 779-1690

Patients visit us from across Chicagoland, including Skokie, Evanston, Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Oak Park and dozens of other nearby communities. Book an appointment online or call the office closest to you.